Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a method for operating a magnetic resonance apparatus, of the type wherein one measuring sequence is provided and/or checked in a number of ascertainment passes by an arithmetic device, dependent on at least one input data record having multiple data elements. The one measuring sequence including at least one control parameter for activating the magnetic resonance apparatus, wherein the value of at least one of the data elements varies between the ascertainment passes, and wherein at least one calculation step is performed to provide and/or check the measuring sequence. The invention also concerns a magnetic resonance device for implementing such a method.
Description of the Prior Art
Measuring (data acquisition) sequences for magnetic resonance apparatuses have a large number of parameters that determine the measuring protocol, and these parameters have a large number of mutual dependencies. High-quality measuring results are possible only in a fraction of the basically possible parameter space. Due to the complex connections between the individual measuring parameters, this part of the parameter space cannot be cohesively described. The parameter space can, moreover, be restricted by technical limitations of the magnetic resonance apparatus that is being used.
Even when changing an individual parameter of a measuring protocol, it may be necessary to adjust a number of different parameters of the measuring protocol in order to arrive at an executable sequence or a sequence with relatively high-quality measuring results. To assist users in the adjustment of measuring protocols, it is known to automatically ascertain individual parameters of the measuring protocol or to check a sequence, which has been parameterized by a user, as to its consistency. Provision and/or checking a measuring sequence for a magnetic resonance device requires numerous computationally complex calculation steps, however. Measuring protocols and the measuring sequences resulting therefrom are typically iteratively ascertained, which often requires a user has to specify and change parameters several times and, as a function of which a measuring sequence is provided or checked. The necessary calculations for the provision or checking of the measuring sequence can therefore lead to undesirable delays when using a magnetic resonance apparatus or in the sequence planning.
Although waiting times of this kind can be reduced by an increase in the computing power of the arithmetic processor of the magnetic resonance apparatus, the provision of increased computing power increases the costs for the magnetic resonance apparatus. Tight limits are set on the economically justifiable increase in the computing power.